Lavalla Primary School was established in 1998 to cater for children and young people with physical disabilities. Lavalla Primary School is a Government registered school, so students sit for the National Grade 6 Examinations. Lavalla is a boarding school and MSC is not the primary carer for any of the students.

 

Because all students have disabilities, they find that their lives are not defined by their disabilities so can live as normal young people and develop their individual talents. They also build up a resilience to cope with being disabled in the wider society.

​

These students are at Lavalla because if they were to stay at home there is no possibility of getting to a local school or they cannot cope with the conditions at the school. This includes both the attitudes towards people with disabilities and the lack of infrastructure at the school (Wheelchair ramps, accessible toilets etc).

 

NGOs working in the provincial centres and towns support students who live close enough to travel to school each day.

​

A number of these NGOs refer to us students who they do not support (both for Lavalla Primary and our Secondary Inclusive Education) because they cannot / will not provide any accommodation or transport needed for those who live too far away from the local school.

 

Our main method of locating students for our programmes is referrals from NGOs, Provincial Education Authorities and Local Village and Commune leaders. We regard this as a partnership with these community-based groups. They do not refer on to us, nor do we seek to enrol students who are attending their local community school.

 

Lavalla also has a comprehensive health and rehabilitation programme. Three physiotherapists are employed full time. A doctor is at Lavalla one day each week. Students also have the opportunity to access a wide range of health services – dental, optical, surgery, hearing, and prosthetics and other assistive devices to improve mobility.

 

LaValla School normally would enrol 100 students in Primary Grades 1 – 6.

​